The smell of the cedar-wood shampoo reminded me of my last trip to Kolkata a year ago with Max before our drive through India and Bhutan.  I love Kolkata. Yes. I know. Some are shaking their head. For some reason being here feels…. hmmmm… can’t quite put my finger on it. I think it brings me back to earth and I deepen my sense of gratitude. I am in awe of how so many people here survive and still offer such generosity and kindness…. and work so hard just to survive.

This is a good place for me to stop over before I meet my girlfriend in Guwahati before we journey driving and walking through Bhutan for 3 weeks.

The air this morning was damp and thick as the ravens reminded everyone of the smog, yet the small birds in the courtyard chirped that it was a new day with new opportunities to experience living.

As I looked out from under crisp white cotton sheets through a tall rectangular window, framed a century ago in dark solid wood, I recalled looking out of the aeroplane window over the past 36 hours of flights. I reflected on how quickly what I was seeing changed. I recalled as I looked out of the aeroplane window that I wanted to notice everything I was seeing. I wanted to take notice of everything; because in every breath something had gone… and something was new. I want to expand my experience by being aware of everything around me – and within me.

Within the night sky I watched an in-flight movie – BFG … and the Big Friendly Giant said he heard the footsteps of lady-bugs walking across a leaf. I want to do that. I want to be more aware of the things around me. I want to learn to really take notice. I want to learn to be more connected with the natural world, and learn to take notice of everything in my life so that I can continue to make choices which are in harmony.

I’ve come to realise that being aware and taking notice of things more carefully brings with it a sense of flow which is absent when a path is continued where a goal is held on to so tightly it is strangled; because the things that have changed are not taken notice of.

Life changes. All the time. All this hype in the media about striving for one’s purpose and achieving, achieving, achieving – a goal; I think often has led to such a blinkered approach to living, where the signs of flow and/or road-blocks are not taken notice of; and the processes of change are ignored. There can sometimes be a huge cost for having such tunnelled vision and misplaced commitment on focussing on the attainment of the outcome; instead of being truly aware along the process.

I sense that deepening one’s awareness and attunement to one’s inner voice is where the richness of life is seated. Witnessing change and adapting to that change is how real living is manifest. And whilst adapting to that change, I endeavour to hold myself to my simple principles – Be real. Be honest. Be kind… and be grateful.

I am grateful for this opportunity for this next journey. We will be visiting temples and dzongs; learning how to cook buckwheat noodles; visiting weaving centres; visiting a school; meeting with an healer of natural medicine; walking through the forest and across the land; being part of the Mongar festival which was the highlight for me last visit.

… I am sooooo grateful for this opportunity and to be living such an incredible life. 🙂